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Digital Seminar

3-Hour Applied IFS Therapy Skills Intensive

10 Key Strategies to Turn Protectors into Allies in Trauma Treatment

Faculty:
Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500
Duration:
3 Hours
Copyright:
05 Dec, 2025
Product Code:
POS150494
Media Type:
Digital Seminar
Access:
Never expires.


Description

  • Transform protector pushback into therapeutic movement
  • Skillfully soften client defenses
  • Real-world examples + exercises to build confidence
  • Perfect for new or seasoned thrapists

 

If you’ve ever felt stuck in session – like your client suddenly shuts down, gets angry, changes the subject, or avoids the hard stuff just as you’re getting close to something important …

… you’re probably bumping into protectors.

In IFS therapy, these protective parts (often called managers and firefighters) are the powerful inner guardians that step in to keep clients emotionally safe. They’re not the problem - they’re doing their job, often with incredible strength and determination.

But if you don’t know how to recognize and work with them effectively, they can slow or even stall the healing process. Even keep clients from healing altogether.

That’s exactly why I created this 3-hour, skills-based intensive. It’s designed to help you move from feeling stuck or unsure to feeling grounded and confident as you navigate your client’s internal systems. Together we’ll walk through a step-by-step framework for identifying and understanding protectors, and I’ll share 10 key strategies you can start using right away. PLUS we’ll take part in some experiential exercises and look at real-world clinical examples to make the concepts click.

Whether you’re new to IFS or looking to sharpen your skills, this training will help you shift from protector resistance to protector partnership in your trauma treatment – so your clients can access deeper work with more safety, connection, and trust.

Purchase now!

This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.

CPD

Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationships

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.



CPD

PESI Australia, in collaboration with PESI in the USA, offers quality online continuing professional development events from the leaders in the field at a standard recognized by professional associations including psychology, social work, occupational therapy, alcohol and drug professionals, counselling and psychotherapy. On completion of the training, a Professional Development Certificate is issued after the individual has answered and submitted a quiz and course evaluation. This program is worth 3.0 hours CPD for points calculation by your association.



Handouts

Faculty

Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500's Profile

Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500 Related seminars and products


Stacy Ruse, LPC, E-RYT-500 is an Evergreen EMDR consultant and clinician, IFS therapist, and founder of Aglow Counseling. She’s a trauma expert who specializes in using IFS Therapy, EMDR, and Somatic therapies to unravel the intricate threads of trauma and guide clients towards empowerment and resilience. Her approach, while deeply rooted in trauma-informed methodologies, is characterized by a transpersonal twist that transcends the boundaries of traditional therapy. Stacy is certified in EMDR as well as a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and Certified Yoga Instructor.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Stacy Ruse is the owner of Aglow Counseling and has an employment relationship with Mindfully. She receives compensation as a consultant and trainer. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. Stacy Ruse is a paid consultant for Evergreen Certifications. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Stacy Ruse is a member of EMDRIA, the Colorado Association of Psychotherapists, and the Longmont Area Psychotherapy Network.


Additional Info

Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)

Access never expires for this product.

For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com. 


Please Note

This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.


Objectives

  1. Summarize how the fundamental principles of Internal Family Systems (IFS) apply to clinical practice.
  2. Identify the role of protectors (managers and firefighters ) in the IFS model.
  3. Determine how IFS can be used in trauma treatment to address inner conflict between protectors and other parts.

Outline

Getting Started

  • Grounding Exercise or Brief Parts Check-in
  • Review Core Assumptions of IFS Therapy
  • Research, Risks and Limitations

The 10 Keys in IFS Practice Attunement & Nervous System Safety

  • Embodying Self-Energy
  • Meet Parts Where They Are
  • Therapist Trailheads: Tormentors vs. Mentors
  • Agency, respect, and choice
  • Build Interoceptive Awareness
  • Powerful Externalization Techniques
  • Having ‘No Agenda’
  • Get Permission
  • Give a Voice to Concerns and Fears
  • Address Inner Conflict Compassionately

Integration & Practice

  • Case Vignette and/or Experiential Practice

Target Audience

  • Counsellors
  • Social Workers
  • Marriage and Family Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Registered Therapists
  • Addiction Counsellors
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Physicians
  • Others in caring profession

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